Louisianans in Seven Parishes Encouraged to Apply for Federal, State Disaster Assistance

Louisianans in Seven Parishes Encouraged to Apply for Federal, State Disaster Assistance
 
Baton Rouge, La. – Louisiana homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained property damage as a result of the ongoing severe storms and flooding are urged to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as they may be eligible for federal and state disaster assistance.
The presidential disaster declaration of March 13 makes federal Individual Assistance available to eligible applicants in Bossier, Claiborne, Grant, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, and Webster parishes.
 “Governor John Bel Edwards and our team at the GOHSEP are doing everything we can to make sure people impacted by the storms receive the assistance they need.  We realize the tremendous burden some face because of the flooding,” said GOHSEP Director Jim Waskom.  “Our prayers are with everyone dealing with hardship.  We need those of you with damage to take a moment and register with FEMA to help us start the recovery process.”

People who had uninsured and underinsured storm damage in the seven designated parishes can register for FEMA assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.  Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs. Long-term, low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) also may be available to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

“FEMA wants to help Louisiana residents begin their recovery as soon as possible, but we need to hear from them in order to do so,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Gerry Stolar.

Eligible survivors should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but underinsured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.
Registering with FEMA is required for federal aid, even if the person has registered with another disaster-relief organization such as the American Red Cross, or local community or church organization. FEMA registrants must use the name that appears on their Social Security card. Applicants will be asked to provide:
    Social Security number
    Address of the damaged home or apartment
    Description of the damage
    Information about insurance coverage
    A current contact telephone number
    An address where they can get mail
    Bank account and routing numbers if they want direct deposit of any financial assistance.

We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s www.511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at www.emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information on Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App.  It is free for basic service.  You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at www.getagameplan.org.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status.  If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.  Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800)877-8339.

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Louisianans in Seven Parishes Encouraged to Apply for Federal, State Disaster Assistance

The Other Disaster Assistance – Public Assistance

BATON ROUGE, La. – The July 13 major disaster declaration for severe storms and flooding makes five Louisiana parishes eligible to receive disaster assistance from the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP), as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance program – or the “other disaster assistance.”

Those five parishes are Bossier, Caddo, Grant, Natchitoches and Red River.

The PA program benefits everyone — neighborhoods, cities and the state of Louisiana. PA funding cleans up communities; repairs bridges and roads; puts water systems and utility systems back in order; and repairs public facilities such as libraries, schools and universities.

“FEMA and GOHSEP are working together to ensure that those parishes, communities and neighborhoods affected by the recent severe storms and flooding receive the funding they need to get started on the road to recovery,” said GOHSEP Director Kevin Davis.

“FEMA Public Assistance dollars come to Louisiana communities through a partnership of cost sharing between applicants and the federal government,” said Federal Coordinating Officer William J. Doran III. “FEMA picks up 75 percent of the eligible cost of putting a community back on its feet, and the remainder comes from non-federal sources, such as state and/or local funding.”

Types of entities that may be eligible for Public Assistance include:

  • Local governments and special districts;
  • Certain private nonprofit organizations or institutions that conduct activities of a governmental nature and are open to the general public;
  • Federally recognized tribes; and
  • State government agencies.

For more information on the severe storms and flooding recovery efforts in Louisiana visit http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4228 or www.la.gohsep.gov.

Follow FEMA Region 6 on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6.

Follow GOHSEP on Twitter at https://twitter.com/gohsep.

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The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) encourages all citizens to visit www.getagameplan.org  for information on how to plan for, and stay safe in, all types of emergencies, including winter weather events.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

 

 

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The Other Disaster Assistance – Public Assistance

FEMA 2014 Funding for Louisiana Tops $554 Million

DENTON, Texas —The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided more than $554 million in 2014 funding to the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and community partners for disaster recovery, mitigation and preparedness.

“FEMA in partnership with GOHSEP, continues to provide funding to assist communities in recovering from and mitigating against future damage,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “We are committed to helping Louisiana residents strengthen their resilience.”

The $554 million includes more than $4 million from FEMA’s Individual Assistance program, $301 million in Public Assistance dollars for repair and replacement of infrastructure, $225 million in Hazard Mitigation funding, and more than $24 million in Preparedness grants for projects to mitigate damage from future disasters.  

“It is exciting to see the progress made over the past year,” said Kevin Davis, GOHSEP Executive Director. “Our team realizes the importance of working with FEMA in order to help Louisiana citizens recover.”

Some highlights from FEMA’s 2014 federal funding in Louisiana for disasters dating back to 2005 include:
•    The city of New Orleans received more than $79 million for road repairs and American with Disabilities (ADA) ramps for damage incurred after Hurricane Katrina.
•    Plaquemines Parish School Board was funded over $3 million for Phoenix High School repairs to campus facilities damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
•    St. John the Baptist Parish received $26.3 million to fund repairs to five East St. John High School buildings and the Lake Pontchartrain Elementary School following Hurricane Isaac.
•    Jefferson Parish received $2 million for the elevation of 16 homes, severely damaged by previous storms and flooding including Hurricane Gustav.
•    GOHSEP’s statewide generator project was awarded $2.1 million from Hurricane Gustav for the purchase and installation of permanent and portable generators at 19 critical facilities, including Covington, East Baton Rouge, and Jefferson parishes’ fire and police departments, lift stations, and Caddo Parish Child & Family Services.

In addition to providing federal funding, FEMA’s Environmental and Historic Preservation team in partnership with the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Office helped to facilitate the new listing of New Orleans’ Edgewood Park Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.  Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA

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FEMA 2014 Funding for Louisiana Tops $554 Million